Clock attachment



April 24, 1928. 1,667,685

w. B. ATKINSON CLOCK ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 10. 1923 zsheet s-sheet 1 MamWM WM attorney A nl 24, 1928. 1,667,685

. w. B. ATKINSON CLOCK ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 10. 1923 2 sheets-Sheet 2 vHY/W/ 2 i ll 1 W MW 1% w L l. 6 Z T fi rl HWY! I i l 7 3 I fl. 5 W M. 3m

Patented Apr. 24, 3928.

nniren STAtES Parent WILLIAM B. ATKINSOE, OF BOWLING GREEN, Ii U'CKY}BOW'LING GREEN TRUST COMPANY, EXECUTOB 033 351D Vi TEINSGN, DECEASED.ASSIGNOB TO A. G. SCHWAB 5 SONS, OF C OM16, PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED OFJULIAN G. SCHWAB, LGUIS Li JG-E, AND YEERBEBT C. SCHWAB.

CLOCK ATTACIEMEN '1.

Application filed November 16, Serial No. 673,958. This inventionrelates generally tothe art thereof while the time of winding intervalof horology and is particularly directed to of the spring is increased.mechanism, attachable to an ordinary clock, Another object is to providea clock wind 5 for increasing the winding interval thereof. up signaland signal operating device auto- The invention is particularlyapplicable mat" lCflllf," operable by the expanding clock to cheapcommercial clocks in which one of sp; ng as the same approaches fullyunthe main objectionsis the necessity for freound position. The signalis adapted to quent winding. The invention herein procalattention to theowner or attendant that 0 vides for increased winding interval by furthe01001 should be rewound.

10 nishing a larger stronger spring, mounted Another object or theinvention is to proindependently of the clock, and having d1- videtransmission means between a'separate' mensions larger than the ordinaryclock ly mounted spring actuated motor, and a' spring, and'thus, whilethe size and p'ropelclock mechanism, for changing power ratios 65 lingstrength of the spring is materially mbet veen the motor and clockmechanism creased; the number of turns required to The use of springs,in which expansiontully wind the larger spring will be subandcontraction talres place in a plane at stantially the same as that of asmaller right angles to the axis of the winding shaftspri g requiresthat the number of coils or whirls 70 An object of the invention is,therefore, to be such as to approximately procure uniprovide meansattachable to a clock, and to form propelling force throughout theperiod the winding and propelling shaft thereof, of unwinding orexpansion of the spring. whereby a clock having a short winding pe-Various devices have been employedparticuriod can be conveniently andquickly conlarly for obtaining uniformity in the pro- 7 verted into onehaving a longer winding pepelling force of the spring during the firstriod, with only a slight modification of the part-oi the unwindingpropulsion movement. clock mechanism. For example, a standard It hasbeen found that a spring having a commercial eight day clock can beconverted certain number of coils is best suited for into a 96 or 100day clock. Thus, the treapproximately accomplishing this purpose soquency of clock winding periods can be deand, therefore, the number ofcoils usedhascreased without materially changing the been more or lessstandardized, and for this clock mechanism, and a clock of shortwindreason a Spring h i th number f il v ing period can be converted atsmall expense consistent with the requirementfor such uniinto one oflonger winding period. iormity of propelling force is now generallyAnother object is to provide a device as a used; Because of thedesirability of using a- 35 separately mounted attachment for a clock,having a standard number of coils-to which includes is addition to apropelling obtain the possible uniformity of mechanism providing a longwinding interpropelling force and to make the device val, a calendarattached to and operable by chronologically valuable, it has ordinarilysaid propelling mechanism and including 00- been thepractice to decreasethe interval be- 40 operative dials automatically operable for tweenwinduw periods in lieu of increasing indicating months and days of themonth, in the number of coils, with the result that the substantialsynchronism with the clock to winding operation mustbe more frequentlywhich the device is attached. performed. This is particularly the caseinAnother object is to provide propelling or cheap commercial springpropelled clocks,

45 transmission means for a clock as anattachthe main objection beingthe necessity for ment independently mounted, and having a frequentwinding. This dificulty' has been powerful spring comprisingsubstantially the herein overcome by providing a larger spring standardnumbers of whirls or coils, said of standard proportions, than couldheused spring being transmittin ly connected to the on a clock of a givensize, and mounting the b0 power, winding shaft, or arbor of the clock Si"j u iiile Of the 1 9 in such manner that the proper amount of Other obects and certain advantages will power is applied to the shaft forpropulsion be disclosed in the (lQSCl'lPtlOl'lofthe draw ings forming apart of this specification in which drawings:

'Figure 1 is a face view of a clock having my improved mechanismconnected therewith. v

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Figure 1. r Figure 3 isa detail section on line 3-'3 of Figure 1, illustrating a portion of thecalendar dial actuating mechanism.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating mounting of the propellingspring. The numeral 1 designates the casing of an ordinary commercialclock to which the invention in this instance, is shown applied,although the invention may be applied to other kinds of clocks whereinit is desired to decrease the winding period. A standard clock mechanismis generally indicated at 2 and comprises the usual winding andpropelling shaft 3 having the'usual pawl-and- .ratchet connection 4 witha main drive gear 5. The escapement mechanism of the clock has notherein been shown, but the pendulum connected therewith is shown at 6.It is believed unnecessary herein to illustrate, the escapementmechanism inasmuch as its operation is well known in the art.

In connecting my device the main or propelling spring of the commercialor other clock is removed and a driven member, in this instance in theform of a sprocket 7, is pinned as at 8 to the shaft. Mounted below theclock mechanism, within and to the casing 1, preferably at the backthereof, is a stub shaft 10, integral with a plate 11 which is attachedby screws to the casing as a base. Rotatable upon the shaft is asprocket wheel 12 as a driving member preferably relatively of greaterdiameter than the wheel 7, and the two wheels aretransmittinglyconnected by the chain 13, as transmission means connecting driving anddriven members. Attached at one end as'at l4: tothe hub 15 of the gear12 is a coil springQO, adapted during winding and unwinding, forcontraction and expansion in a plane at a right angle to its axis and tothe shaft 10, the form andaction of this spring being well known; Theouter end of the spring is secured to a pin 21. By engaging a key withthe outer squared end of the shaft 3, the spring or spring actuatedmotor may be wound in the usual manner. .The spring has substantially astandard numberof coils or that number consistent with the requirementfor uniformity in propelling force of the spring, from wound to unwoundcondition, so that the spring has dimensions larger than the ordinaryclock spring but possesses greater power. 7

The attachment, including the separately mounted propelling means, alsoprovides a calendar and operating mechanism therefor,

adapted to'indicate the days of the month and themonths of the year, andconsisting of a day dial mounted rotatably upon the outer end of theshaft 10 between opposingly related resilient friction membersrespectively 31, 32, the member 31 being non-ro tatably and removablylocked upon the shaft 10, as at 33, and the member 32 being rotatablyattached on the cute counter-turned portion thereof. The dial member 30has peripheral teeth 35 which function substantially as ratchet teeth.he dial 30 also has an outstanding pin 36 upon its front face adapted toengage notches or ratchet teeth 37 of a calendar month dial 38 removablymounted by its stub shaft 39, upon a pedestal or bracket-40 attachedto'the back of the clockcasing. The dial 38 is yieldably frictionallyheld against rotation by spring members 42 frictionally engaged againsta circular flange 43 on the shaft 39. V

The gear of the driving member has on its outer face a series of pinsthe distance between the pins corresponding to that traveled by each pinin twenty-four hours, so that at the end ofthat interval a pin willsuccessively bring numerals of a larger de-.

nomination beneath a stationary pointer 45 held at the outer end of theshaft 10 by a screw a6. For every complete revolution of engage andoperate a feed mechanism herethe day dial, 30, the month dial 38. isturned by the pin 36 which'engages one of the peripheral teeth of thedial and revolves the same to bring thesucceeding month indicationbeneath the pointer. The pin 36, however, may be dispensed with and themouth dial set by hand.

The device or mechanism operableby the pins 4:41: upon the gear 12, forrotating the calendar dial 30 is constructed and operated in thefollowing manner: 7

A lever is pivoted as at 51 to a bracket 52 attached to the clock casing1, and the lever has extensions 53 and 5e cngagcable with the bracketfor limiting oscillating movement of the lever in both directions, butparticularly in its lower position. At the outer end of the lever 50 ispivoted as at 55 a finger 56 having a shoulder 57 engageable with thelever 50 for limiting clownward movement of the finger. ermost positionshown in Figure 1, the finin its 'lower 56 is dis nosed for enga in atooth of r a: a a: h

and adapted to lie against'a stop pin 63 car- I ried by the lever. Themovement of the weighted lever is thus limited 111 one direction topermit a pin 44 to engage the same to raise the lever 50 and finger 56for rotating the disk or dial 30. Thus, when the gear 12 rotates inclockwise direction, the pins M will successively. engage the arm 61,raise the lever 50 and finger 56 and rotate the dial 30 a distance equalto that between the day indicating numerals adjacent its periphery.

A device is also provided as a signal or indicator to the owner orattendant that the clock needs winding, this device being oper-c ated bythe coil spring 20 as it unwinds. \Vhen the spring is entirely unwound awind-up signal is exposed at a point outside of the clock casing. Thestructure of this device is as follows:

Alever formed of any suitable material, such as wire, is pivoted at 71to the clock casing, adjacent the spring 20, the said lever having arms72, 73. The arm 72 has at its upper end a sheet metal tag 74 as signalmember having printed thereon in this instance the words wind-up. A slot75 is also provided in the side of the casing through which the wind-uptag is adapted to pass for exposure of the printed words in full view atthe outside of the casing. The arm 73 has a weight 76 thereon which isadapted to counterbalance the lever and bring and hold the lever andsignal member within the casing after the clock has been wound. Theweight 7 6 is juxtaposed in reference to the spring coils in such mannerthat when the clock has nearly run down one of the coils or whirls willengage the weight, force the same outwardly to the position shown in dotand dash lines in Figure 1, thereby disposing the signal member outsideof the casing. A suitable stop clip 7 8 having outstanding projections7'? is attached to the casing, and the arm 72 alternately engages theprojections 78 to limit movement'of the lever in both directions. Itwill thus be seen that when the spring has almost reached its fullyexpanded position its outermost coil will have engaged the weight 7 5,and moved the wind-up sign into full view outside of the clock casing.When the clock is rewound the weight of the gravity actuated lever willbe thrown in an opposite direction to bring the signal member within theclock casing as shown in Figure 1, in full lines.

The usual door 1' is provided for the clock cabinet or casing, saidcasing acting as a base for the mounting of the clock and motortherefor, as well as the calendar device and wind-up signalling device.

The device for decreasing the interval between the winding periods issimple and inexpensive and may be attached to any clock in a mannersimilar to that illustrated herein. I do not limit myself to itsparticular application to commercial clocks but contemplate the use ofthe invention upon any clock wherein it is desired to use a spring ofgreater size than can be applied directly to the clock.

Having described my invention, .what I claim is:

1. A propelling and calendar attachment for a clock including a springactuated motor having a driving wheel, said wheel having spaced pinsthereon, a shat; in the clock movement tor propelling the same, meanstransmittingly connecting said wheel and shaft, a peripheral, toothedcalendar dial rotatably mounted adjacent said wheel, and dial advancingmeans intermediate said wheel and dial adapted to be engaged by successive pins, and engageable with successive teeth of said dial, wherebysaid dial is moved in synchronism with said clock movement.

2. In combination a propelling and calendar attachment for a clock, anindependently mounted spring actuated clock propelling motor having adriving sprocket, said sprocket having spaced pins thereon, a shaft inthe clock movement for propelling the same, means transmittinglyconnecting said sprocket and shaft, a peripheral toothed calendar dialrotatably mounted adjacent said wheel, and dial advancing meansintermediate said sprocket and dial adapted to be engaged by successivepins, and engageable with successive teeth of said dial, whereby saidclock is propelled and said dial is moved in synchronism with saidclock.

3. A propelling and calendar attachment for a clock including a springactuated motor having a driving sprocket, said sprocket having spacedpins thereon, a shaft in the clock movement for propelling the same,means transmittingly connecting said sprocket and shaft, a peripherallytoothed calendar dial rotatably mounted adjacent said sprocket, a leverpivoted adjacent said sprocket and dial, a finger pivoted at one end ofsaid lever, said finger having a shoulder engageable with said lever forlimiting the movement of the finger in one direction to dispose the samefor engagement with successive teeth of said dial so said lever isoscillated and a projection pivoted to said lever having limitedmovement in one direction, said projection engageable by successive pinsof said sprocket to periodically raise said lever and engage said fingerwith said dial, whereby said dial is moved in synchronism with saidClOCK.

i. A propelling and calendar actuating attachment for a clock includinga separately mounted spring actuated motor having a driving sprocket,said sprocket having spaced pins thereon, a shaft in the clock movementfor propelling the same, means transmittingly connecting said sprocketand shaft, a peripherally toothed calendar dial rotatably mountedadjacent said sprocket,

said dial having characters thereonin spaced relation, a lever pivotedadjacent said sprocket and dial, a finger pivoted to said lever forengagement with the teeth of said dial, said finger having a stopshoulder engageable with said lever for limiting themovement ofthe/finger in one direction, and

spring actuated motor having a driving member, said member having spacedpins thereon means transmittably connecting said drlving member andpropelling shaft or said clock, a peripherally toothed calendar dialrotatably mounted adjacent said rotated element, a lever pivotedadjacent said element and dial, said lever having a finger adapted toengage successive teeth of said dial, and a projection upon said leverengageable successively by said pins for actuating said finger forperiodical engagement with and rotation of said dial in synchronism withsaid clock.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

WILLIAM B. ATKINSON.

